Frequently Asked Questions

A Neurosurgeon is a medical doctor who specializes in the surgical treatment of conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. Neurosurgeons undergo extensive training to diagnose and surgically treat a wide range of neurological conditions, including: Brain Tumors: Neurosurgeons perform surgery to remove brain tumors and other growths within the brain. Spine Disorders: They treat conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and spinal deformities through surgical interventions. Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries: Neurosurgeons manage injuries resulting from trauma, such as concussions, brain hemorrhages, and spinal cord injuries. Cerebrovascular Disorders: They operate on conditions like aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, and stroke-related issues. Epilepsy Surgery: Neurosurgeons perform surgeries to treat medication-resistant epilepsy by removing the areas of the brain causing seizures. Functional Neurosurgery: This involves procedures to treat movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, by implanting deep brain stimulators.

A Neurosurgeon plays a critical role in a patient's treatment by providing specialized care for conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. Here are key aspects of the role of a Neurosurgeon in a patient's treatment: Diagnosis: Neurosurgeons are skilled in diagnosing complex neurological conditions through a thorough evaluation of symptoms, imaging studies, and diagnostic tests. Treatment Planning: They develop personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient's specific condition, health needs, and treatment goals. Surgical Interventions: Neurosurgeons perform intricate surgeries to treat conditions such as brain tumors, spinal disorders, vascular malformations, and traumatic injuries to the nervous system. Minimally Invasive Procedures: They utilize advanced techniques, including minimally invasive and endoscopic approaches, to minimize trauma, improve outcomes, and reduce recovery time. Risk Assessment: Neurosurgeons discuss the potential risks, benefits, and alternatives of surgical procedures with patients, helping them make informed decisions about their care. Post-Operative Care: They oversee the post-operative recovery process, including monitoring the patient's neurological status, managing pain, and coordinating rehabilitation services. Collaboration: Neurosurgeons collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers, including neurologists, radiologists, oncologists, and physical therapists, to ensure comprehensive and coordinated care. Patient Education: They educate patients and their families about the condition, treatment options, recovery expectations, and post-operative care to support informed decision-making and optimal outcomes.

You should consider seeing a Neurosurgeon in the following situations: Brain or Spinal Cord Injury: If you experience a head injury, spinal cord injury, or trauma affecting the nervous system. Persistent Headaches: Chronic or severe headaches that do not respond to medication or are accompanied by other neurological symptoms. Severe Back or Neck Pain: Persistent pain in the back or neck that radiates down the arms or legs, especially with weakness or numbness. Neurological Symptoms: Symptoms such as weakness, numbness, tingling, or changes in coordination that indicate a possible nerve or spinal cord issue. Brain Tumor or Aneurysm: If you are diagnosed with a brain tumor, aneurysm, or other structural abnormality in the brain or blood vessels. Spinal Disorders: Conditions like herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or deformities that require surgical intervention. Epilepsy: In cases of medication-resistant epilepsy where surgery may be an option for treatment. Cerebrovascular Conditions: Conditions like strokes, aneurysms, or arteriovenous malformations that require neurosurgical evaluation.

To prepare for your first visit to a Neurosurgeon, consider the following steps to ensure a productive and informative appointment: Gather Medical Records: Collect all relevant medical records, imaging studies (MRI, CT scans), test results, and previous treatments related to your neurological condition. List of Medications: Prepare a comprehensive list of all medications you are currently taking, including dosages and frequencies. Symptom History: Write down a detailed list of your symptoms, including when they started, how they have progressed, and any factors that worsen or alleviate them. Questions and Concerns: Compile a list of questions you have about your condition, treatment options, surgery, recovery, and long-term outlook. Medical History: Be prepared to discuss any past surgeries, hospitalizations, medical conditions, and family history of neurological disorders. Insurance Information: Have your insurance card, identification, and any necessary referral forms ready for billing and authorization purposes. Support: If possible, bring a family member or friend to the appointment for emotional support and to help remember important details discussed during the visit.

When consulting with a Neurosurgeon, consider asking the following questions to gain a better understanding of your condition and treatment options: What is the diagnosis of my condition, and what is the expected prognosis?   Are there any alternative diagnoses that need to be ruled out?   What are the available treatment options for my condition?   What are the risks and benefits of each treatment option?   Is surgery necessary for my condition, and if so, what does the surgical procedure involve?   What are the potential risks and complications associated with the surgery?   What is the expected recovery process following surgery or treatment?   Will physical therapy or rehabilitation be required, and if so, what does that entail?

For your first visit with a Neurosurgeon, it's important to bring the following documents and information to help facilitate a thorough assessment and discussion: Medical Records: Bring any relevant medical records related to your neurological condition, including imaging studies (MRI, CT scans), test results, and previous treatment history. List of Medications: Provide a comprehensive list of all medications you are currently taking, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and supplements. Insurance Information: Have your insurance card, identification, and any necessary referral forms ready for billing and authorization purposes. List of Symptoms: Prepare a detailed list of your symptoms, including when they started, how they have progressed, and any factors that worsen or alleviate them. Questions and Concerns: Write down any questions you have about your condition, treatment options, surgery, recovery, and expectations for the visit. Past Surgeries or Hospitalizations: Inform the Neurosurgeon about any past surgeries, hospitalizations, or significant medical events in your history. Contact Information: Provide contact information for your primary care physician and any other relevant healthcare providers involved in your care.  

Neurosurgeons primarily focus on conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, rather than heart conditions. Some of the neurological conditions that Neurosurgeons commonly attend to include: Brain Tumors: Neurosurgeons diagnose and surgically treat various types of brain tumors, including gliomas, meningiomas, and metastatic brain tumors. Stroke: Neurosurgeons may be involved in managing haemorrhagic strokes (bleeding in the brain) and addressing aneurysms or arteriovenous malformations that can lead to stroke. Spinal Disorders: Conditions such as herniated discs, spinal stenosis, spinal fractures, and spinal cord compression often fall within the expertise of Neurosurgeons. Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries: Neurosurgeons handle injuries to the brain or spinal cord resulting from trauma, accidents, or falls. Functional Neurosurgery: Neurosurgeons perform procedures to address movement disorders like Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia using deep brain stimulation.

Yes, a Neurosurgeon plays a vital role in managing the recovery process after surgery for neurological conditions. They are involved in post-operative care to ensure optimal healing, rehabilitation, and recovery for their patients. Here's how a Neurosurgeon helps manage recovery after surgery: Post-Operative Monitoring: Neurosurgeons closely monitor patients in the immediate post-operative period to assess their neurological status, vital signs, and wound healing. Pain Management: They oversee pain management strategies to ensure patients are comfortable during the recovery phase following surgery. Wound Care: Neurosurgeons coordinate wound care and monitor for any signs of infection or complications at the surgical site. Rehabilitation Planning: They may develop or oversee a rehabilitation plan that may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, or other forms of rehabilitation to help patients regain function and mobility. Medication Management: Neurosurgeons manage post-operative medications, including pain medications, antibiotics, and other drugs to support the recovery process. Follow-Up Care: They schedule follow-up appointments to assess the patient's progress, review imaging studies, and adjust the treatment plan as needed.

The advancements utilised by Neurosurgeons include: Stereotactic Navigation: Advanced imaging techniques allow for precise localization of brain and spine lesions during surgery, improving accuracy and minimizing invasiveness. Minimally Invasive Surgery: Techniques such as endoscopy, laser ablation, and robotic-assisted surgery enable Neurosurgeons to perform complex procedures with smaller incisions, reduced trauma, and faster recovery times. Intraoperative Imaging: Intraoperative MRI and CT scans provide real-time imaging during surgery, allowing Neurosurgeons to verify tumor removal, assess brain function, and ensure optimal outcomes. Neuromonitoring: Monitoring of neural function during surgery using techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG) and motor evoked potentials (MEP) helps safeguard critical brain and nerve function. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS): Neurosurgeons use implanted electrodes and pacemakers to modulate brain activity in conditions like Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. Neuroendoscopy: Minimally invasive endoscopic procedures enable Neurosurgeons to access and treat conditions within the brain's ventricles, skull base, and spine.

Since MISS is technically challenging, enough care is taken on different aspects to ensure a safe and good outcome. It is important for you, as a patient considering MISS, that your surgeon is well-trained, and has enough experience of performing a wide range of spine key-hole surgeries. In addition, the hospital staff and infrastructure should also support performing these Minimally Invasive Procedures with accuracy, precision and safety. MISS is a way of life at Aster. More than 90% of the spinal surgeries here are done through minimally invasive techniques. Aster is probably the only hospital that ‘regularly’ does MISS for cervical pathologies and complex spine cases. Clinical Expertise: Dr. Umesh Srikantha, Head of Spine Services at Aster, has performed close to 2000 minimally invasive spine surgeries in the past seven years. His experience in MISS ranges from the most basic procedures like lumbar microdiscectomy, foraminotomy and decompression surgeries to the most complex spinal fusion procedures for advanced pathologies like tumors and high-grade spondylolisthesis. He is one of the top surgeon faculties in the country for MISS, having trained more than a hundred aspiring surgeons to adopt MISS through advanced training programs. The OR team at Aster has also been supporting MISS for the past seven years and is proficient with the use of complex MISS instrumentation and high-end technologies such as navigation and neuro-monitoring. Technology: We all know how the advent of data connectivity, GPS and Google Maps, has simplified road travel for the common man. We rarely feel the need to stop and to ask for directions. More importantly, we are able to reach the correct destination in the shortest possible time. Similarly, modern and state-of-the-art hospitals invest in and routinely use surgical navigation technologies. The use of surgical navigation systems along with advanced pre-surgery planning software has revolutionized a surgeon’s ability to visualize the anatomy in 3D and perform more accurate surgeries even through smaller skin incisions and narrow tubes. In addition, the use of intra-operative neuro monitoring ensures critical nerve structures are monitored and protected through the course of Spine surgery. At Aster, these advanced enabling technologies are used routinely to ensure MISS is performed with utmost accuracy, precision and safety.